The Bible OverBrew - Bible in a Yearنموونە

Week 18. Day 1. Isaiah 24-28.

Introduction to this week's reading: Isaiah 24-48

Isaiah 24-35 continue the first main section of Isaiah warning of coming judgment: in particular the exile to Babylon.

Ch 36-39 are a historical section (mirroring 2 Kings 18-20) that also serves to look ahead to the coming exile to Babylon.

Then in chapter 40 the second main section of Isaiah begins, now imagining the exile has already happened, and telling those in exile (200 years after Isaiah’s day) that God will now act in comfort, in salvation and will bring the exiles home. Isaiah 40 onwards is one of the most densely packed sections of hope in the Old Testament, pointing not just to the blessings that would be experienced when the exiles returned home, but also looking forward to the greater Exodus and salvation achieved by Jesus.

Isaiah 24-28.

Isaiah chapters 24-27 are known as ‘The Isaiah Apocalypse’. They are the culmination of the previous chapters of judgment, with the whole world now in view (ch24)

Note alternating themes of judgment, and of praise and worship from God’s people.

Look for themes of the city of earth and the city of God

Look for echoes of Gen 1-3 in these chapters

Ch 28 begins ‘Woe!’, a word which will occur 6 times in ch28-33.

But notice the glimmer of hope in 28:16 (quoted in 1 Peter 2:6)

NOTE: Days 1-5 of each week contain the scripture reading for that week. Day 6 has just the 'key chapters'. If you want a briefer version of this plan that still takes you through the whole Bible, you could just read the key chapters featured on day 6. Day 7 has the podcast video where we discuss the week's reading.